Virtual machine crash file generation techniques

Abstract

Techniques for creating crash data in a virtualized environment are disclosed. In an embodiment of the present disclosure the techniques can be used when a guest operating system within a virtual machine may not have a sufficient mechanism for generating crash data.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A computer system, comprising:
 a computing device;   one or more memories having stored thereon computer readable instructions that, upon execution by the computing device, cause the system at least to:
 load a controller emulator into resources of a virtual machine operable on the computing device; 
 configure a communications bus to transmit crash data from a guest operating system to a virtual machine monitor; 
 receive crash data for the guest operating system of the virtual machine, the crash data based at least in part on processing by the controller emulator, the crash data received through the communications bus; and 
 send the crash data to the virtual machine upon determining that the guest operating system of the virtual machine has resumed operation. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more memories having stored thereon computer readable instructions that, upon execution by the computing device, cause the system at least to:
 send the crash data for the guest operating to a virtual machine monitor.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more memories having stored thereon computer readable instructions that, upon execution by the computing device, cause the system at least to:
 send debug metadata associated with the guest operating system to a virtual machine monitor.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more memories having stored thereon computer readable instructions that, upon execution by the computing device, cause the system at least to:
 store the crash data in memory associated with a virtual disk; and   send the crash data to the virtual machine by attaching the virtual disk to the guest operating system in response to determining that the guest operating system of the virtual machine has resumed operation.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device is configured to have a communications bus not reliant on the resources of the guest operating system. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein loading the controller emulator does not disturb contents of memory of the virtual machine. 
     
     
         7 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 causing a controller emulator to execute in a virtual machine;   configuring a communications bus to transmit crash data from a guest operating system to a virtual machine monitor;   receiving, at the virtual machine monitor, crash data for the guest operating system of the virtual machine, the crash data based at least in part on processing by the controller emulator, the crash data received through the communications bus; and   processing, by the virtual machine, the crash data based at least in part on the virtual machine resuming operation.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the controller emulator causes virtual machine monitor interrupts. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the virtual machine monitor is a hypervisor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 storing the crash data in memory associated with a virtual disk; and   sending the crash data to the virtual machine by attaching the virtual disk to the guest operating system in response to determining that the guest operating system of the virtual machine has resumed operation.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 sending debug metadata associated with the guest operating system to the virtual machine monitor.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the communications bus is not reliant on resources of the guest operating system. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 mounting, by the virtual machine monitor, a boot disk of the guest operating system; and   storing the crash data in a predetermined location on the boot disk.   
     
     
         14 . A computer readable physical storage device including executable instructions that, upon execution by a computing device, cause the computing device at least to:
 load a controller emulator into resources of a virtual machine operating on the computing device without disturbing contents of memory of the virtual machine;   configuring a communications bus to transmit crash data from a guest operating system to a virtual machine monitor;   receive crash data for the guest operating system of the virtual machine, the crash data based at least in part on processing by the controller emulator, the crash data received by the communications bus; and   send the crash data to the virtual machine upon determining that the guest operating system of the virtual machine has resumed operation.   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable physical storage device of  claim 14 , comprising further instructions that, upon execution by the computing device, cause the computing device at least to:
 send the crash data for the guest operating to the virtual machine monitor.   
     
     
         16 . The computer readable physical storage device of  claim 14 , comprising further instructions that, upon execution by the computing device, cause the computing device at least to:
 send debug metadata associated with the guest operating system to the virtual machine monitor.   
     
     
         17 . The computer readable physical storage device of  claim 14 , comprising further instructions that, upon execution by the computing device, cause the computing device at least to:
 store the crash data in memory associated with a virtual disk; and   send the crash data to the virtual machine by attaching the virtual disk to the guest operating system in response to determining that the guest operating system of the virtual machine has resumed operation.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable physical storage device of  claim 14 , comprising further instructions that, upon execution by the computing device, cause the computing device at least to:
 mounting, by the virtual machine monitor, a boot disk of the guest operating system; and   storing the crash data in a predetermined location on the boot disk.   
     
     
         19 . The computer readable physical storage device of  claim 14 , comprising further instructions that, upon execution by the computing device, cause the computing device at least to:
 configure the guest operating system to not exit from boot services.   
     
     
         20 . The computer readable physical storage device of  claim 14 , comprising further instructions that, upon execution by the computing device, cause the computing device at least to:
 send a signal to the virtual machine monitor, the signal indicative of placing the virtual machine in a state in which firmware associated with the virtual machine can write to a boot device.